"Children of Venezuela" helped over 736,500 needy ones. The 2011 established "Great Housing Mission" provided homes for over half a million families.

Elderly Venezuelans receiving pensions increased from around 627,000 in 2003 to 2.5 million in 2013.

Venezuela is a social justice success story. It's constitutionally mandated. Its Preamble states:

Constitutional provisions "establish a democratic, participatory and self-reliant, multiethnic and multicultural society in a just, federal and decentralized State that embodies the values of freedom, independence, peace, solidarity, the common good, the nation's territorial integrity, comity and the rule of law for this and future generations."

They're "guarantee(d) the right to life, work, learning, education, social justice and equality, without discrimination or subordination of any kind..."

Bolivarianism "promotes peaceful cooperation among nations and further strengthens Latin American integration in accordance with the principle of nonintervention and national self-determination of the people, the universal and indivisible guarantee of human rights, the democratization of imitational society, nuclear disarmament, ecological balance and environmental resources as the common and inalienable heritage of humanity..."

America's Constitution has no such language. It shows in official policies. It's reflected in today's budget priorities. In Venezuela, constitutional provisions are more than just words.

They reflect reality. Significant amounts of state revenues go for social safety net programs. In America, increasingly less spending does so en route to eliminating it altogether.

Venezuela remains a work in progress toward improving social conditions equitably. America reflects a bipartisan commitment to wrecking them.

Both countries are social justice worlds apart. Which one matters most? Which is more equitable, fair and just?

Which assures a better future for all its people? Which backs its promises with governance of, by and for everyone?

Which cares only about wealth, power and privilege? Which threatens humanity's survival? Which prioritizes a better future? Which wants it for everyone?

What's more important than public welfare? Which system do you favor?

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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